Martin and Libby Rose

I love the mild seasons of southern states, but my northern Wisconsin roots persuade me to explore winters in the Carolina outdoors where we now live. That sense of adventure recently took my wife and me to the beaches and wildlife refuges near Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina, also known as the Outer Banks. I skipped boogie-boarding in the surf but instead soaked up the solitude of a much less crowded coast during January. I planned our five-day trip to make it completely contactless: meals from a packed cooler, accommodations and staff who take precautions seriously and outdoor activities that provided miles of fresh air and distance.

I’ve been a bird fan ever since falling in love with Woodstock in the Charlie Brown and Peanuts Gang comic strips. To qualify that affection, I do not consider myself a “birder” since I don’t keep a life list or travel in search of finding a specific, elusive bird. I know a little about bird life cycles and hope you find some of my tips and experiences helpful. We love baby birds at WRT and, if you find some, we encourage you to view them at a safe distance and avoid interrupting their care and feedings.

We booked an eco-excursion with the Biscayne National Park Institute, an organization that partners with the park to create recreational access to the surrounding natural resources and to help educate visitors on the importance of this region, its history and the environment. We explored mangrove forests and snorkeled up close to this amazing vegetation that provides critical habitat for sea life as well as protection against major tropical storms. We encountered a lot of interesting marine wildlife including rays, sea turtles, harmless nurse sharks, barracuda, boxfish, spiny lobster and other aquatic species. The Institute offers a variety of other trips such as boat cruising, sightseeing that includes lighthouses, paddle boarding, sailing and exploring history.

In past trips to the Dakotas, we’ve driven by Theodore Roosevelt National Park and once diverted to drive a short scenic road so that we could boast about visiting another National Park Service destination. Named after our 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt National Park deserved much more love than we gave it during past vacations. know what factors went into the decision to name the park after Teddy Roosevelt, but most historians agree that he was our country’s first conservation president whose activism (and executive power) preserved some of our nation’s most spectacular wonders. The park is split into two separate units; the main south entrance near Medora is about 70 miles from the main north entrance.